THE OMAHA DAILY BEE , SUNDA MAY 17 , 1891-TWENTY PAGES.
THE REAL NATURE OF MONEY
How it Succeeded the Interchange of
Products of Labor ,
RELATIVE VALUE OF GOLD AND SILVER ,
Amount of Money Kptjiilrcd by
the ItiiNlncNS of I ho World
mill How It la
I'd Magazine
Wo ore all deeply Interested In getting
practical comprehension of what money Is In
1U essential nature. Let us study it In the
past , for the past can In all things teach us.
Slnro man began to produce anything by
his skill or Industry , ho has been In the habit
of exchanging these products of bis labor
which ho did not need for his use for some
Dortlons , moro or loss great , of such things as
other men by their skill nnd Industry were
able to produce boyoud their own needs , but
differing In kind from his own. These pro
ducts were originally exchanged for each
other. But It came nbout In the evolution of
Ideas , manners nnd customs of all people suf
ficiently advanced to bo called civilized or
ecml-clvili/ed , that some ono product of hu
man skill or Industry possessed a qulckorand
moro universal exchangeability than any
other. For it In certain quantities all men
became willing to exchange whatever they
had to exchange , whether the products of
their labor or their labor service.
At different periods and among different
peoples , this ouo peculiar thlnp was not con
stantly and every where the same. At onetime
time or place it had been n braver skin ; nt
another time or nlaco , shells or beads , at an
other , cattle or slaves ; at another , Iron , cop
per or brass ; nl anothersilver or gold. Now ,
by reason of this peculiar exchangeability ,
the price or exchangeable power of all other
Commodities came to bo expressed by the
quantity of this ono peculiar commodity for
which they could bo exchanged. It wni nat
ural that n nnmo should bo attached to this
peculiar thing , and that name was money.
The hooks will give nil thu reasons which
led to the natural selection of these various
things designated ns monoy. I shall content
myself with ono or two , First , nnd funda
mentally , they were such things In their 10-
upectlvo times nnd places as would unlvor-
eally minister to the comfort or pleasure of
these who possessed them. Second , they
were in their lospectivo limes and places rel-
nllvoly the most convenient , not only for the
purposes of universal exchange , but for pres
ervation ngalnst further needs. It has been
by the free play of human choice , ending In
a concensus of action , thai money has thus
been evolved , never by conventional agree
ments made In advance.
In modern times , among civlli/ed na
tions , gold and silver have super
seded all other commodities ns money ,
but they do not differ in their essential char
acteristics of doslroablcness In themselves
( either for utility or ornnmcut ) from these
other commodities which In ruder times ,
among moro primitive people were equally
entitled to the appellation monoy.
It does not need n moment's thought to sat
isfy us that it was by u true survival of the
fittest that gold and silver finally obtained
universal recognition as money , und super
seded nil other forms of It.
Bear skins were universally desired , both
for comfort nnd ornament ; but too long kept
they ore liable to moth and mildew , and their
value was thus diminished or destroyed.
Cattle were liable to disease or death , und
were ox pensive to care for. Finally , copper ,
iron and brass were , too easily produced and
united In themselves the dlsudvnntngo of
bulk , as well as weight , with small valuo.
Silver nnd eold nro not easily destroyed.
They are almost Infinitely divisible ; their
purity or fineness Is readily determined. As
society has developed , their desirability for
use nnd ornament has not diminished. Since
they nro practically indestructible , easily
hidden and guarded , they of nil things nro
the most convenient for their possessor to
keep for such future needs of exchange for
other things ns ho irny then desire.
With this general statement thus made , I
will nsk and answer u few questions , which
will load by thu shortest route to tbo end of
my subject.
Question. Would not some other thing
lun silver or gold hnvo been Just as useful ,
ust ns exchangeable , nnd Jusl ns much entl-
eil to the name of money , if these had not
boon selected j
Answjr. Yes , perhaps so. But it Is suftl-
cienl thai society has adopted these two , and
in such a mutter the Individual may well go
with the crowd.
Q. Ought there not to bo moro money In
circulation ) IB there now enough for thu
wants of trade 1
A. The question cannot bo answered by
cither nn absolute yes or no. In the begin
ning , if in such n matter there could bo n
dulinito point of beginning , tbo quantity
would have been of no consequence , or , In
the words of Bonnmy Price , "any would
hnvo been enough , because the price of things
would have become related to the volume of
money , whether that volume were great or
small ; and once established In their fair re
lation to each other through their common
relation to monoy. It would make
no dlfferento whether tbo price wn
what wo would now cull high or
low. But the only Ideal money would Increase -
crease in a ratio commensurate lo the in
crease of things to bo exchanged , minus the
quickness of exchange which time might
bring. "
It Is not probable that cither gold or silver
or both in use tegotnur ns tl.o bimotalllsts
desire , would form thu ideal monoy. In tills
sublunary sphere the Ideal is schlon
roachod.
I urn not nwnro of any well-ascertained
daui by which the question , Is them money
enough ! can bo definitely answered , There
lias been an Increase In thu volume within
the lust fifteen years much greater ratio of
incioaso in the volume of things to bo ex
changed. There are these who nnlrm that
there Is not half enough ; that the price of
Hunts has become related to the existing
stock , and that with the economies that have
been secured nnd w ill no doubt bo further
gained In the u o of money , there need bo no
present fear of a proper "supply. A reason
able amount of good money Is bolter than i
, larger supply of an Inferior laud , since
" * * " % ltlior has to be boupht and paid for by hon
est labor.
Q Would silver nnd gold 1)0 no'V rightly
entitled to the name of money if they were
not coined at the mint , mm the value of the
coin determined by law.
A. Yes , They would exchange as freely
as now , and would then , as now , bo entitled
In every sense but n teclmlcil legal one to the
name of monoy. The coinage docs not glvo
the metal any vnluo that the metal did not
bofoio possess , 1 ho luwdutormlnos the lino-
ness nnd quantity of recognized value which
a given coin shall contain ; gives n nnnm to
the vailous coins respectively , nnd therefore
treats of them as money , not recognizing In
its phraseology gold nnd silver In the lorm of
bullion ns money. Bui us bullion Is ns rend
ily exchanged , nnd ( In International trade
more to bo il rel red than com , und ns the valni
of the coin derives its power from the ounn
tlty nnd fineness of the metal It contains ,
nnd not from the stamp of the governmon
machine , 1 repent that , essentially , gold and
sliver bullion nro as much entitled to th
nnmo of money before being coined Into dot
larn , or sovereigns , or francs , as afterward.
1 know that hero Is a vital point of dispute
thai because the law In speaking of money
treats only of what il had slum [ > ed as such ,
philosophers are able to confuse us very much
by attributing to the stamp the money valu
which really lies under It
The law recognizes , gives sanction , or for
bids , bul It Is powerless to create.
Q. Does not thu legal tender sanc
tion which the law places upot
thu Issues of its mini give n now und original
value to such legal-tender colnl
A. No , The laws of legal-tender give u
BtandiiiR interpretation to the language of u
contract , where such words as dollars ,
iKHindi , francs , nro used , and thus notifies
both parties to a contract In advance of wha
the law will require If they fall lute dispute
Q. Must It then bo denied that , under m
condition , nor within any limits , the legal
tender quality conferred uoon a thing gives
.hat thing a value which it would otherwise
iwo ?
A. No. I admit for argument's sake at
east , that if the government should decree
hat doughnuts should bo legal-tender for
lobt-s , n doughnut for n dollar , then ( if dough-
mts did not become too plentiful ) they would
w largely enhanced In value whllo they were
n demand to tatUfy existing contracts or
My existing debts , but I do say that , ns
mdcr such conditions nit existing contracts
ivould soon bo cancelled , and no unw ones
rcatcd. except upon the basis of thu natural
, 'xchangcablo ' vnluo of douirhtiuts , they would
eon ccaso to bo in domnnd , nnd possessing
n tbomsolvcs only the value of doughnuts ,
.hoy would sink back to their natural dough-
mt vnluo. IJut the operation sketched
iught not to bo recognized as n
rontlon of value , even of n temporary kind ,
t Is really n robbing under the gulso of law.
.lovcrnincnts . can confiscate and dcstroythoy
lunuot create value.
Q , How , then , Is it that 412J { grains of
llvor , coined into n silver dollar , will ex-
ihnngo In tbo market for 25 S-10 grains of
gold , while as bullion the same quantity of
ulver will only exchange for about two-
.birds of as much gold )
A. There Is ono slmplo answer which
omplotcly explains the disparity. Great In
genuity fa displayed In tunning some other
'Xplunntlon. ' scientific perhaps , but hard to
lomprohond. The ono I submit Is slmplo ;
iiiyono can comprehend it , viz :
For some jcars past , and at the present
i.imethe United States government has been ,
and Is , In the receipt of nn income , through
.arlll duties nnd excise dues , of about $1f > 00-
)00 ) per day. Tills loigo revenue It dls-
nirses In payment of the Interest nnd
ewards the principal of its debt , for pen-
lions , nnd for general administration ox-
lenses. Upon its debts , and to whomsoever
Joslros , It pays gold coin on the basis of
25 S-10 grains to the dollar. From whom-
oovcr desires to pay money Into the treasury
hrougli the excise duos , It will receive as
iqual value gold coin , or stiver dollars con-
.nfiilng ll'-'H grains each. Thus It
iractlcaliy buys that amount of
coined silver , giving In considera
tion an exemption fiom the payment of
25 8-10 grains of coined gold. If It would
receive nickels or dimes In satisfaction
if such dues In a similar way ,
, hny would become exchangeable for
nbout a dollar In gold each. It It were certain
that the government could continue thus to
receive them with ono hand , whllo with the
other it continued to pay , ns now , In gold.
The operation is , in fact , u virtual exchange ,
' .o . ttio extent the community now desires , of
; old coins nnd silver coins on the basis of
.heir ( theoretical ) legal value , Instead of
.heir commercial or natural relative valuo.
Tbo difference some ono now does , or will
hereafter , Inevitably pay.
Q. Cannot the government continue this
'orover , nnd thus forever preserve a higher
value to the silver coin than its equivalent in
silver bullion I
A. No. Because with the continued coin-
igo of silver In its present ratio to the coin-
iigo of gold , about three to ono , that Is to
say , llftjfour millions of silver against say
twenty millions of gold per annum , the pro
portion of silver payment to the government
will steadily Increase , until the treasury do-
jurtmont will bo obliged to either pay in sil
ver or buy gold in exchange for it. With
fico coin a to of silver , this result will bo the
sooner re.iched.
Whenever the government Is thus com
pelled to suspend its present course in the
i-espect Just pointed out , the real commercial
relation between the gold and silver coin will
begin to appear. Then silver coin and silver
bullion ( coinage being tree ) of the same
weight and fineness will bo alike In vnluo ,
iruciscly ns gold coin and gold bullion now
nro.
nro.Q. . Then you do not believe that the free
coinage of silver , as now proposed , would
enhance the value of silver bullion nnd re
store the old relations of 10 to 1 between
gold nnd silver !
A. Free coinage of silver would no doubt
glvo toU'JM grains of silver bullion , U-10
flue , ns much value , I. o. , purchasing power ,
as would.bo contained iu the coined dollar ;
audit the government or some other power
rich enough , would forever give gold for sil
ver hi the ratio of 1 to 1(1 ( , then the old rate of
1(1 ( to 1 could bo maintained But wo have
already perceived ( If It bo the truth ) that
our government cannot do this. It may bo
added that so long as the government is will
ing to accept silver as a fixed ratio , thus cre
ating an nrlillcinl value for it higher than Us
natural value , sliver will , ns sure as water-
seeks its level , flow from nil parts of this
country nnd also from foreign countries Into
tbo United States treasury , driving out
the gold , and the government will
hnvo to pay the difference. Even
if the government had the llnanclal ability
to bear the loss , it would bo a foolish use to
nmko of it , since nil Its power is derived from
the people nnd is used at their cost.
The fact is that the value of all things ,
that is , tholr exchangeable quality for other
things , is determined , nnd ought to bo deter
mined , by the free play of human action.
Efforts mndo by powerful bodies , govern
ments , corporations , syndicates or trusts , to
interfere with the free action of men in these
regards are injurious to all. The statement
Is as true when applied to gold nnd silver as
it is of other things. Neither gold nor silver
has value dlflnront in kind or differently de
rived from other things. They are peed for
use and ornament ; they will exchange for
othcrthlngs ; but the relation In which they
will exchange for other things never con
tinues for any long period the samo. Nor is
there anything in their nature on account of
which ( under uny rule that can bo stated )
they should , in law or morals , continue to bo
exchanged for things in a llxed ratio to each
other , of 15 to 1 or 111 to 1 , or any other ratio.
In fact , except within nominal limits , they
never have thus been practically related.
In every country where the effort
has been made to make a fixed
ratio practically operative , that effort
has finally fulled. "Tho ancient historians
tell us of early times in Arabia and in Ger
many when silver was worth the same as
gold , weight for weight. The ratio fixed by
Spain in HOT was 10 ; , ' to 1. Then in 1540 , beIng -
Ing dominant In tbo world of commerce and
llnuuco , she llxed the ratio at UH.j to 1. In
the next century ( llisS ) , ono hundred years
.after the defeat of the Spanish Armada , Portugal -
tugal , then prosperous , wealthy and domi
nant , fixed the governing ratio at 10 to 1.
Thou In 1717 England fixed hers nt 1B.02 to 1 ;
Franco In 172(1 ( ut 1 Ijf to 1 ; Spain in 177r > nt
ir > 'j ' to 1 in the Peninsula , though 10 remained
the ratio in her American colonies. In 17bi !
nnd 1SUI ; Franco adopted the Spanish ratio of
lli'i to 1. " Prof. Stackpolo. Ono of the
two metals ha always been the real money
of account , the real instrument of exchange
In the great Industrial movements ; the other
bus operated in nn auxiliary and .subordinate
capacity. Perceiving this to bo the fact ,
Great Britain in 1810 guyo up the experiment ,
ma o geld the solo money of account , and
coined silver for subordinate use only.
In our own country , from 1703 to 15)7.1 , our
mints were open tu the free coinage of silver
nnd gold , part of the time in the ratio of 15 to
1 , nnd part of the lime In thu ratio of 10 to 1 ;
but in the whole period of eighty years , only
eight millions In silver dollars were coined.
The mints of Mexico nnd Japan are both open
to geld , but silver , being the only medium of
exchange , alone goes to the mint.
The Latin Union , so called , made a league
limiting the colnagn of silver , hoping thus to
preserve In practice n theoretic ratio ; but
they were obliged to break It and suspend the
coinage of ono of the motnU.
If wo wished to secure the ( roe exchange
of these metals In n'fixed ratio it would bo
necessary to make an agreement with all
commercial nations of the woild. No doubt
tbo sllvor-prodnclng countries would gladly
nirree. Wo could well afford to. In 1850 this
country produced silver to the vnluo of
KiO.OOO. In IbOO the annual product was
about jtt,000,000 ) , gold valuo. But there is
much reason to doutit whether non-silver
producing countries would miter Into such a
compact. Great Britain certainly will not ,
Q. Well , men , if It bo impossible to maintain -
tain thu practical use of two kinds of money
like silver and gold In a fixed ratio , which of
the two Is It the wiser to use I
A. The answer must depend on circum
stances. If n country is Insulated from
others , has no commercial relations outsldo
its own boundaries , and doslras to establish
none , then It may be said that it
is quite an Indifferent matter
which of the two shall bo the rec
ognized money. Hither will do. But If a
country has trade nnd commerce beyond Its
own boundaries , nnd desires to encourage nnd
extend such trndo , then Its Interests require
ttio use of that money which U current In the
mnrkLt where Its foreign trade Is settled , At
the present time that market is Great
Britain.
If the United States of America is to take
that position In the woild's progress which
wo confidently hope for , it must bo by the
extension of Its trade and ccminorcq with
other parU of the world. Whatever favors
this , favors our nation's development. What
ever binders this , restricts and hampers our
progress. At tt o present time , and for au
WE . WILL SELL
.in-
THIS COMING WEEK
500 FANCY
H VIO SUITS ,
SIZES 34 to 44 ,
WELL CUT , WELL TRIMMED
WELL MADE , AT
A SUIT.
Nebraska Glothincr Co. ,
. .
Corner Douglas aiid Fourtoent.il.
indefinite period In the future , all our foreign
commerce , amounting now to Sl.r > 00,000,000
per annum , Is of necessity transacted undo
thu English standard of gold , for London js
the settling-house whore all these foreign
payments nro made. If wo ship Hour to
Bruztl , wo must lake our pay In London. If
wo buy sugar from Cuba we must pay in
London. If In our domestic affairs wo de
generate to the silver basis , as wo certainly
shall if the present compulsory coinage of
silver goes on , or if these who seek to open
our mines for the free and unlimited coinage
of silver shall have tholr way. wo shall then
hnvo voluntaillv surrendered the standard
thai puts us on a parlly with other commer
cial nations In the struggle for the
world's trade , and shall nnvo adopted n
standard , whether theoretically superior or
not , which will put our foreign trade und
commerce in u most disadvantageous posl
tion.
tion.So far in these remarks I have not made
any reference to psipor money , so called.
What I have now to say can soon bo stated.
There Is n distlncl nnd radical difference be-
Iwoon gold and silver money , or any commo-
dlly used as money , nnd paper monoy. There
ought to be a clearer distinction in the names
applied to them. Gold and silver ( not to
speak ol obsolete forms of money ) are real
money. They carry their exchangeable
value In themselves. Paper money derives
nil Its power from Us relation to real money.
It has no value In Itself , und can servo no
purpose either of use or ornamenl. Paper
money Is a promlso.a warrnnl , which entitles
the holder to real money when it Is asked for
by him. Thus related and kept effective ,
paper money is an immense economy. By
Its use a considorublo portion of nn otherwise
larger stock of real money can bo exchanged
for things which directly minister to human
needs.
I might speak al o of checks , drafts , bills
of exchange and promissory notes , which in
modern times operate in the exchange of
commodities. Thny might bo called , one or
two degrees icmoved , n kind of paper money.
They perform in n limited way the same
functions thai paper money pel forms In a
larger way ; nnd like paper money , they
economize Hie use of real money. Econo
mize. It as they may , however , they riinnot
wholly supersede it certainly not In this or
any immediately following generation.
CHICAGO , 111. LTMAN J. GAon.
*
IOXGKV11Y OICKr <
Great \ \ ork DOUR After Ho
lliul Hcnuhcd the AKO < > t' Slxty-Nlv.
Moltko did not quito roach the years of
Wrangol , who died in 1877 nt the ago of over
OH , nor did ho quito equal Emperor
William , who lacked but thirteen days of
completing his ninety-first year. Two years
ago the St. James Gazette , noting that "the
majority of Prussian Held marshals have
been old men , " found plenty of examples
also of nge'd English soldiers of celebrity ,
present and past , Ir.cludlng Sir Patrick
Grant , who was nt that time about 85
years old , with seventy years' service ;
Lord Napier then 70 , Wellington , who died
ntSt , after sixty-live years of borvico ; Lord
Gough who llvod to W , with seventy-live
years of service ; Sir John Burgoyno , who
entered the army nt Hi and reached the ago
ofb'J ' , OfthoFioneh veterans It cited Mc-
Mnhon , nt that time 81 years old ; Canobcrt ,
at that time bO ; Soult , who died at
b2 , after sixty-six years ol service ; Grouchy ,
who died nt bl , and so on. To these exam
ples may bo added that of the longest-lived
of our moro distinguished ievolutionary sol
diers , Stark , who died at the ago of nearly
01. Admiral Wullls of the British navy cele
brated recently his hundredth birthday.
But of course ttio interest on this point In
Moltko's career Is , says the Now York Sun ,
that the great work of his Ufa was done
nftor ho had reached the ago of DO ; and , Indeed -
deed , until m ho wus llttlo known outsldo of
Prussia. His supreme achievements wore
effected at the ago of 70 nnd 71 ; but no ono
over questioned that ho was In his full vigor
as a strategist at bO , or that Germany's , chief
reliance would have boon on him , for plan
ning and directing her campaigns , up to a
very few years ago. Indeed , ho gave evidence
of his ability until his resignation of his oftlco
of chief of the general stuff In August , IStsS.
to do Its rontlno work , In supervision and
criticism , with his wonted vigor and pre
cision.
They Got It of Course.
Jim 1 oh Jim I I say , Jim ! Yeup comln' ,
mam ; what's er matter ! Why baby bos got
tbo colic , run down to drug store nnd got a
bottle of Haller's pain paralyzer ; quick , now ,
A
Frte Vr < t .
I know I'll hold It true next fall ,
When summer glrU have loft the coast ,
" 'T > i better to have loved nnd lost
Thau never to have loved at all. "
TERRIBLE REAL LIFE STORY ,
ji
Romanes of the Big Horn Basin Which
Cost Two Lives.
AWFUL ENDING OF A PISTOL DUEL.
Fiendish Act of n Jealous Man A
Llttlo Child UHctl by Its Father
as a Sh'cld ' in a Death
BONANZA , Wyo. , May 10. [ Special to TUB
BEK.I In a remote section of the Big Horn
Basin In northern Wyoming , 175 miles from
n railroad , there has Just been enacted a trae-
ody which possesses many elements stronger
than any yet evolved in the pages of llctioii.
In 1879 n young man , James McDcrrnott , loft
his homo in Franklin county , Now York ,
to sock his fortune in the wild nnd
undeveloped west. Ho made bis
way to some recently discovered gold nnd
silver mines near Glondonnlng , Mont. , nnd
without any previous experience went to
woik ns a miner. McUormott was an < x-
coptlonally handsome young fellow , with a
clear cut , clerical faoo , lit up by u pair of
bright blue eyes , which fnirlv radiated with
Intelligence and good nature. Ho was In
dustrious nnd as gjulal as the day was long ,
and soon became a favorite with nil In the
Glcndonning camp.
A snort time previous to his arrival tuoro n
farmer named Martin , accompanied by his
two dau ghters , Mary and Helen , had located
in Glondonnlng , nnd become a dolver utter
the precious metals along with the rest of
the Inhabitants of the llttlo settlement.
Martin nnd McDermott both worked In the
sumo mine , nnd a warm feeling of friendship
sprang up between the two. The latter was
invited to share his friend's hospitality In his
cabin with his two daughters , and many a
pleasant social hour was whlled away. Mary
Martin , tbo eldest daughter , , vus
one of the most charming buds of
womanhood over brought into the wild ,
unsettled west. Her grace , vivacity
and beauty caused many a lonely
bachelor's heart in the camp yearn to call her
his own. She was a graceful dancer , n cap
tivating companion and n general favorite
with all. Her meeting with McUermott was
a case of love at llrst sight. Tbo younir
couple became ardently attached to each
other and were almost Inseparable compan Ions
when both were disengaged.
After a short courts hip they woronfllanced.
The father , notwithstanding his pouonal
liking tor McDermott , viewed the pros
pective alliance with ifocllngs of great dis
trust. Ho strove to inOuco his daughter to
look elsewhere for a husband , but she was
obdurate and vowed her eternal
love for her choice. McUermott wus
much displeased at the opposition shown to
his marriage with Mary , und In siilte of It
became more nnd moro assiduous In bis at
tentions and moro determined to possess nis
llancee. Mary Martlu.dosplto her evident at
tachment to Mcbormott , possessed n strain
of coquetry , and although it piqued her
lover greatly , she took , , delight occasionally
in indulging In flirtations which were
purely innocent oiiilbcr part. The result
was to cause McDermott mauy Jealous feel
ings , which for n time transformed him into
hour , morose moods , iu"whlcu ho evinced the
temper of a madman tVVorklng In the same
mine with him was a young lownn
named Morino. Mary Martin nnd Mor-
Ina had come from n point in tbo
latter state not far distant from each other ,
nnd on this account were warm friends. She
had observed her lover's Jealous disposition ,
and from spirit of fun used to occasionally
take great pleasure in tantalizing him by her
attentions to Morino. McDonald noted her
actions with a growing feeling of Jealousy
until all the devil in his nature was aroused.
Ho brooded over the matter until ho reached
the conclusion that murder was bis only hope
of relief ,
Ouo evening about 7 years ago ho invited
the young lowun to Join with him and his
affianced in the pleasures of u social party in
the neighborhood , at which dancing wus
to bo a feature. Ho confided
to his sweetheart his Intentions on
that ovenlng to settle satisfactorily the exact
relations which the man and himself held In
her affections. She was emphatic in her as
sertions of love for him and him nlono. The
evening of the social party raino and Merino ,
Jolly and entertaining as usual , was present.
accompanied by his two sister * upon whom
ho studiously bestowed his attentions during
the continuance of the night's pleasures *
McDermott watched him closely , with the
demon of jealousy still rankling his nature.
Just as the quadrille had been
formed for the parting dance Mary
Martin quickly loft her lover's side und
ran over to where Merino was seated at ono
sldo of the cabin with his sisters. She en
gaged him In pleasant chat , and much inno
cent merriment ensued among them. Sud
denly McDcrmott came to Mary's side , his
blue eyes fairly glittering with the fury of
his passion. Merino quickly nroso to greet
him , and u moment later lay gasping In the
death agony in the arms of his sisters , five
bullets irom McDoruiott's revolver having
pierced his body.
The cowardly manner In which the younij
lownn mot his death caused great
indignation , and McDermott was
promptly arrested. After r.n oxnminnton
no was found guilty of murder and nftor the
lax methods of Justice In such communities
bo was admitted to ball In a small sum. Tak
ing advantage of It ho fled from the scene of
his crime and Mary Martin proved her love
nnd loyalty by accompanying him in his
tlight.
After wandering hero nnd there through
various unsettled regions In Wyoming , Mc
Dcrmott finally took a homestead claim on
the banks of the Nowood river , n short dis
tance from ttio newly laid out town
of Bonanza. McDcrmott was ono of
tbo most thrifty as well as
Industrious settlers In the basin , nnd fortune
began to smile upon. His herds nf .cattle
and horse ? on the range along the river for
many miles Increased yearly , nnd ho np-
pcnrcd to bo ono of the happiest nnd most
contented of men , despite the dark stain that
rested upon his life. Two years ago n sou
was born to him who was nn exceptionally
beautiful child. Llttlo Phil , ns ho was
called , was fairly Idoli/cd by both father und
mother. Shortly nfter McUermott had
settled upon his ranch a young man named
Tom Madden , from some part of lown , took
up the homestead claim adjoining. The two
inun nt once became the warmest friends.
They visited ouch other frequently , exchanged -
changed work on tholr ranches , because part
ners In stock raising , nnd were so familiar in
every way that the Impression got abroad
that something moro than mcro friendship
existed between thorn. MaddenIndeedopenly
claimed that such was the case , nnd many
oelloved him. Last winter Helen Martin
Joined her sister on the ranch. .
She was a tall , graceful voung I
woman of eighteen years of ago , and at once j I
became an object of Interest to all of tbo
young bachelor settlers in the basin , of whom
tl'oro nro many. She seemed Indifferent to
tuo advances made by all of thnm with the
exception of Tom Madden. Ho seemed to
llnd favor in her eyes and the conclusion wus
formed that matrimony would surely result.
Suddenly , without any apparent cause , Mad
den broke off nil relations with her , and
the two became enemies. People wondered
at the rupture and predicted that It would
end like all lovo's quarrels In n reunion. But
time rolled on nnd the two remained at dag
gers' points , their hatred of each other grow
ing moro nnd moro. Gradually serious stories
began to bo circulated that all was not ns
pleasant in the McDermott family ns ap
peared on the surface. It was ouletly whis
pered that Helen Martin had usurped her
sister's place In her husband's affections , nnd
that she was guilty of actions that were , t
say the lcas.t , of n very imptopcr character.
Matters continued this way for some
time und then the Inhabitants of the basin
wore startled on March til by the report that
James McDormatt and Tom Madden
had engaged in a pistol duel In
which ho shot and killed little Phil
and seveiely wounded his father. Great
excitement ensued. Madden name to BoI I
nunza ut once to give himself up , and the
story ho told created u strong feeling of sym
pathy for him An Inquest was held In the
town hall on the murdered boy. McDermott
remained nt his ranch , being unable to ap
pear on account of his wound , whicti hud
pierced his lolt cheek below the eve nnd then
passed around his skull and lodged In the
back of his head ,
" 1 wus working In my yard and saw Mrs.
McDennott running toward my ranch with n
baby in her arms , " said Madden to the core
ners' Jury. " 1 met her a short distance from
where I was working , She wns gn-atly ex
cited nnd acted us If danger was right nt her
heels , She exclaimed 'Tom , for God's suko
try and save me , the old man Is going to
murder me , ' 1 looked for the 'old man , ' us
she had a habit of calling Mac , but saw
nothing of him. 'For God's sake , ' .
she repeated , Go up nnd try to do t.ome. j
thing with him I A moment later 1 saw Me- j ;
Dcrinott coinlni : with hU llttlo bov In his
arms. As ha drew near I saw him fumbling
under tbo child's clothes with his right
baud , and fell sure that ho had u six-shooter ,
I lot him coma close to the cabin and than
stepped out and said :
1 "Mac , you have threatened our lives ; como
no further. Ho replied :
' "You d son of a b , ' and then wont for
his gun. I made a run for him , nnd ho fired
a shot. As ho was about to shoot ngaln. I
fired. The boy was on his left arm , nnd I
think my first shot hit him. I kept going
toward Mac all the time ; he fired n second
shot and it was returned. This shot killed
the little boy. The bullet tore his head to
pieces add also wounded the fnthor. They
both foil together. " Madden wus acquitted.
While McDermott lay ut his ranch suffer
ing the tortures of pain caused by his wound
bo conceived u plan of revenge upon Madden
which now seems liliely to react upon him
self. Madden wus at the Glcndonning min
ing camp when the Merino murder wns com
mitted , und when ho became McDcrmott's
neighbor ho was in constant fear that ho
would betray him to the Montana authorities
and bo the means of causing him to pay the
penalty of bis crime. He constantly feared
that Madden might expose him to his fellow-
settlers in the basin as an escaped murderer ,
and with those fears haunting him ho had de
termined to kill him. Falling , ho arose
from his sick bnd , and with
great difficulty indited a letter tea
a well-to-do stock grower nnmod Tutrnnn on
the Groy Bull river , In which ho confessed
that ho had been forced to become the un
willing accomplice of Madden In nn extensive
scheme of horsosto.illng which covered in its
operations the entire Big Horn basin. The
plan wns to steal horses und cattle from the
range wherever found nnd under cover of
nignt nnd by the aid of confederates ut differ
ent points run them Into Nebraska where
they were disposed of to coed advantage by
the thieves. MoDonnott informed Tutman
that acting under Maddon's diicctions pre
sumably from fear of the secret the latter
held ho had assisted him In running olt
fifty-two well bred hor.ses from the Grey
Bull ranch , which had bcou disposed of
In Nebraska for several hundred dollars
in gold. Tatman is an orphan who
came Into Wyoming several years ago nnd by
great Industry hud succeeded In gathering
about him largo herds of stock.
When McDonnell's letter of confession
reached him ho nt once started for Bonanza
on n tour of Investigation. Ho wus deeply
incensed , and vowed that ho would trull
every one of the horse thlovcs Into prison before -
fore he rested. At Bonanza ho mot Mrs.
McDermntt , who now hates her husband us
intensely as slio once loved him ,
and Informed him that her hus
band , and not. . Madden , bad been the Icudor
in the extensive stealing that had boon done
all over the basin , and more than this , that
ho had boon guilty of repeatedly robbing the
United States mall. It was usual with the
mall carriers on the long routes leading from
points on the Northern Pacific railroad
through the basin to stop ut McDonnott's
ranch over night to rest and feed their horses ,
und during their stay they placed the mall
sacks In his cabin , It became a regular oc-
curicnco with him , Mrs , MoDonnott stntod ,
to leave her side during the night nnd Hum
rlllo the sacks of what money they con
tained , gleefully displaying his Ill-gotten
gains , at the same time threatening her llfo
if she ever told any one of what he had clone.
In this way many hundred dollars were
stolen by a man supposed on all sides to be a
model citizen. McUermott is now In the
hands of the law oHlcors of Johnson county
nnd his trial nt Buffalo In the near fuunu
will pro\o u revelation of villainy Unpar
alleled , It is thought , in the hlatoiy 'ofveit -
crnciiminal operations.
'S FOMjOVKIIS ACTIVH.
In Mnsunolm-
Grout Tilings.
The Slmon-puro nationalists who are fol
lowing Kdwnrd Bellamy's personal leadership
ship in Massachusetts are n queer lot , but
they nrc really making their influence felt n
llttlo under the gilded dome on Beacon Hill
this year. Bellamy Is the editor of thu Now
Nation , n weekly piper recently established ,
nnd the demand which he is most vigorously
urging upon the Massachusetts legislature
Just now Is for legislation to permit cities
and towns to do tholr own street lighting by
gas or electricity. His paper makes some In-
torojtlni : points In favor of the proposed
law. Thus u writer in the lust number says :
"If It Is unlawful for cities and towns
In Massachusetts to light their streets with
gaslights wtiy isn't it unlawful for them to
light their strceta with oil light * I My old
town of Groton , Mass , , has for years hotm
doing the latter Has It been doing wrong !
But I MiPixrjo the gas fellows would say that
In thu latter case the streets are not torn up
lay pip ° > , etc. But who owns the streets ,
any way 1 I can't sco , If the people of a town
prefer to light tholr streets by now Instead
of by old'fushlouod methods , why they ( all o
them ) should not have as perfect n right U
us a few of them. "
Mr. Bellamy handles the subject odltoriallj
in this way :
'The joint committee on manufactures in
the Massachusetts legislature has reported
bills granting special permits to live or six
towns to muniiliieturo their own gns nnq
electricity. This is understood to bo the out ,
como of a conference nf republican lenders t < i
meet the popular demand for municipal
ownership. It is agreed by old hands ut
politics that It will not do to go into the next
campaign handicapped by u blank refusal to
listen to so reasonable n demand. But nru
not the republicans weak in their programme !
In allowing one town to buy a gas or eloctrla
light plant lo they not admit tbo principle. !
for which all 1:001 ! nationalists contend i II
seems to us that this , tbo latest inovo of tht
republicans , is the best kind of nn argument
in favor of u general statute under which any
city or town can vote to buy , oy/n and run a
lighting plant.1 '
Boston Is probably the most monopoly
cursed town In the country in
the matter of transportation facili
ties. The city is gildironod or tu
trolley system of electrlo roads , all coiv-
trolled by the Wont End company. Governor
Hubsoll's cxposo of the lobbying methods of
this corporation at the state house last year
secured his election. The concern doesn't
own the legislature now , but It has for years
controlled Boston's local government , and , It
must bo confessed , the newspapers almost
without exception , Its franchises bring no
revenue to the city save the ordinary taxes
upon its visible property. But Boston has
not secured rapid transit yet by any manner
of means , while the accidents caused by thu
use of vastly moro powerful electric current *
than ever were used in this city mnlco an ap.
pulling list There is u great deal of popular
resentment In Boston which has not yet found
opportunity to express itself , nnd the nation-
Ists propose to take advantage of it when the
flood docs break loose. Thus a recent propo
sition from thn West End company which
would cause n Now Yorker to open his cyos
wide with aimuemont impels Mr. Bellamy to
remark ;
"President Whitney of the West End mil.
road of Boston proposes that if the road can
bo guaranteed exclusive control of the street
railroad system for llfty yours , free of taxes ,
tributes or levies , it will undertake to pro
vide rapid transit for the city. Otherwise ,
ho says , nothing will bo dor.o. If Mr. Whit
ney would only consent to have n plaster cast
of his cheek taken lor the world's fair ut
Chicago it would dwarf all the other exhib
its. "
The Christian socialists , who , by the way ,
include most of the nationalists , for their
Ideas are much the sumo , recently established
an organ called the Dawn. This is its odd
prospectus :
"Christianity without socialism wo be-
llevo to bo u Ho ; socialism without Chris
tianity wo consider n fatal mistake. Wo propose -
pose to ndlipro uncompromisingly and unfnl-
terlngly to both , und on that line to publish
ns frequently ns wo can. This is all wo shall
promltio and wo shnli not go into debt. Per
haps this Is Just as wi'll. Any who desire a
weekly can find it in the Now Nation The
loss frequent Issue will glvo us greater op
portunity for lecturing and writing In other
papers , and so , whllo keeping up our own
monthly standard , enable us to do moro and
bettor outside work to spread the cnnso. "
The nationalists hove great hopes In con
nection with the third party convention to beheld
held ut Cincinnati May 111. 'I hey will be well
lopresentod there , nnd they will make every
effort to Incorporate .somo 3t their Ideas In
the declaration of purposes which they ex
pect will be promulgated.
A colony of nationalists In St. Louis are.
nbout to start u co-operative store with thu
aid of a capable merchant who Is to Join the
colony. Tbo plair will bo to sell goods at thu
usual prices nnd deliver them at the resi
dences nf customers , nnd nt the close of
every three months give the net profits of
the business to each customer a a dividend
In nn equal percent on his purchases nnd on
whatever amount ho may Invest In the capi
tal of thn stoiu.
A N w Mfivf *
Leslie & Leslie , 10J N. tuth.
C. J. Frlco , Mlllard Hotel.
W. J. Hughes. ! MiJ Farnain. < V2I N. 10th.
J. U' . Chirk , S U'Jtli A Woolworth uvc.
A. Khrouir , IW.I Farnum.
All thu above named leading druggists
handle the famous Excelsior Springs , MU
sourl , waters und Stercan Ginger Ale.
A quurtottu of very pretty stories by
Francois Coppee , Honorudu Ilal/ac , Alphonsu
Dftiidot und Alfred do Mussel , under tint
title of "IdtoTime Talus , " has Just been pub
lished in tbe Gloho LIbrary orles , by Hand ,
MoNally & Co. , Chicago ,